Backstory: A family was looking to refinance their home, which sat on 42 acres of land. Since the land was not used for agriculture and did not produce any income, Sidhu struggled to find an appraiser.

"Many wholesale lenders in San Francisco can't accommodate that kind of acreage," Sidhu said. "Many just won't do it."

He was ultimately able to find an appraiser who calculated the home's value by comparing it to other properties in the area.

"He took other high-end homes into consideration, and calculated the value based on when they were built, their square footage and similar remodels," Sidhu said. "Even though the homes didn't have similar acreage, they had other similar merits."

The refinance closed in 45 days. The process moved swiftly because only one appraisal was required, Sidhu said.

"Another appraisal would've increased the risk factor, since an appraisal with a lower value would've been the one we would be required to use," he said.